The relationship between adult psychological adjustment and childhood sexual abuse, childhood physical abuse, and family-of-origin characteristics

A history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been shown to be an important contributor to poor psychosocial adjustment in adult life. However, the lo ng-term impact of childhood physical abuse (CPA) has been neglected, and re search has often failed to consider moderating factors such as a negative f amily environment. This article investigates the relationships among adult psychological adjustment and self-esteem, family-of-origin environment vari ables, and a history of CSA or CPA. A self-report questionnaire was adminis tered to a general community sample and a tertiary student sample. Findings indicated that family-of-origin variables did not predict psychological ad justment. However the community group exhibited poorer psychological adjust ment than the student group. For the community group, family cohesion and C SA were the best predictors of adult adjustment and self-esteem. For the st udent group, only CPA significantly contributed to the prediction of adult psychological adjustment. Statistical and conceptual limitations, as well a s directions for future research, are discussed.